


Lights Out and Away We Go!

by Royal_ChanSoo (bloodred_ander)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Motorsports, Formula 1, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-21 09:56:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18140699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodred_ander/pseuds/Royal_ChanSoo
Summary: Preparing for his 8th full season as a Formula 1 driver, Chanyeol knows that he can't afford any distractions nor can he allow himself to make even the slightest mistake. Not if he wants to win his third World Championship title.Things get a little complicated, however, with the signing of no-name rookie Doh Kyungsoo who is a constant thorn in Chanyeol's side, getting in his way more often than not. Now Chanyeol may admire his aggressive, driven nature and unwavering ambition but he isn't going to let anyone, especially a rookie (that he may or may not have a soft spot for), hinder his chances of becoming a World Champion for the third time.





	Lights Out and Away We Go!

**Author's Note:**

> So. I said that if Max got a podium finish at the Aus gp and if Kev managed to score some points I would finally post this fic. And here I am. Keeping my word. Because my boys did so good *cries in proud*
> 
>  
> 
> Anyways, this is something that I started working on last year but I had to put it on hold because of various reasons (majority of them being health related) so I'm happy that I can finally post this even if I haven't completed it yet!! This fic is my comfort fic (and is also very slef-indulgent lolol),,,, idk if that makes sense but since this is basically a combination of two things I adore – Chansoo + Formula 1 – and it is very dear to me so I hope you can show it some love :3
> 
> Also, I know I ramble a lot but:
> 
>  **1.** All other characters apart from the EXOs and Sunny are OCs and are not supposed to resemble any of the actual drivers. *ahem* **Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental/not intentional :)  
>  **2.** There is an age gap b/w Chansoo of about 7-8 yrs (Soo is 19 & Yeol is 25/26).  
>  **3.** Slow. Burn.  
>  **4.** Yeol isn't an asshole. He's just very,,, _driven_.  
>  **5.** Tags will be added/update along the way.  
>  **6.** Um,,,,,,, more warnings will be added in the author's notes of every chapter whenever appropriate.
> 
> Enjoy :))))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (sorry for the lowkey italic abuse lol)

_**January, 2018.** _

 

 

 

Chanyeol breathes in the fresh morning air with a content smile on his face, enjoying the scenic view of the rising sun and the way its rays reflect off of the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean; its surface glistening like liquid gold, making the entire scene look like something out of a fairy tale. The only thing that takes away from this otherworldly illusion is the harbour that stretches far and wide lined with yachts of varying shapes and sizes that bob on the water like over-sized seagulls. There are times – namely during the summer months – when Chanyeol regrets not buying a place closer to the sea, probably somewhere in _La Condamine_ , but then he thinks about how noisy it would be living that close to the harbour and he's thankful that Jongdae and Yifan talked him into living higher up on the hillside of _Monte Carlo_ , far away from the thick of things and – most importantly – far away from some of the other drivers who reside in the principality. It's not like Chanyeol doesn't like them or anything; it's just better for him not to see those assholes on his downtime when he has to deal with them enough throughout the year. It's his way of detaching himself from his celebrity lifestyle and seeking some form of normalcy in his otherwise hectic life.  
  
Which can sometimes be a difficult thing for him to do considering the fact that he is a two time _Formula 1_ World Champion.  
  
  
  
“Why is it so cold?” Jongdae whines as he rubs his hands over his arms, effectively breaking the tranquil atmosphere that Chanyeol was enjoying.  
  
Chanyeol sighs heavily and begins the long walk back towards his house, tugging his little black poodle along while keeping a tight grip on the leash in his left hand. Toben has a bad habit of chasing after anything that so much as moves and he's slipped away from Chanyeol's grasp quite a few times, running madly on the streets and almost getting run over in the process. Jongdae often jokes that Toben and Chanyeol share the same energy but Chanyeol never takes offence to that – much to Jongdae’s chagrin – because Toben is his son and Chanyeol is proud of his boy (except for the times when he tries to eat his own shit).  
  
“Dae, every place we go to is _too cold_ for you,” Chanyeol points out, nearly tripping over his own feet when his best friend shuffles closer to him, pressing along the right side of his body. Jongdae whines something unintelligible and loops his arm through Chanyeol's, holding on tight and nuzzling his face against Chanyeol's hoodie clad bicep like a distressed cat. Chanyeol snorts in amusement, keeping his eyes on Toben as he walks ahead of them. Chanyeol knows that Jongdae is just doing this to annoy him; they are both used to much colder climates having grown up in Korea where winters generally last longer and the days are a hell of a lot colder than the moderate Mediterranean climate of Monaco, even in January.  
  
“Well, I don't like winters,” Jongdae grumbles, pretending to bite Chanyeol's arm. “Sue me.”  
  
Chanyeol laughs, moving his arm to try and get Jongdae's open mouth away from him. Toben stops and turns around to look at them when Chanyeol accidentally tugs on his leash a little too hard. Sensing no immediate reprimand, the dog starts padding away again, sniffing at the tarmac while occasionally wagging his tail. Chanyeol coos out an apology to him, ignoring Jongdae's amused smile.  
  
“Does this mean that you're gonna bail on our biking trip with Yifan hyung today?” Chanyeol asks, well aware of what the answer to that question will be.  
  
“Hell no!” Jongdae exclaims, excitedly pulling on Chanyeol's arm and dragging him down until he's slouching at an awkward angle. “Now that Yifan hyung is back from Canada, I can finally spend some quality time with a person that I _actually_ like.”  
  
“Oh please,” Chanyeol snorts, pushing against Jongdae's hold so that he isn't being forced to slouch anymore. “You love me.”  
  
Jongdae makes a gagging sound, face scrunched up in mock disgust, but Chanyeol can see the smile playing at the corners of his lips. Jongdae uses the arm he still has looped through Chanyeol's to pull him closer, enjoying the warmth against his side as they walk along the streets of Monaco in the early hours of the morning. Chanyeol knows what they must look like now, sharing each other's personal space like this out in the open, but the thought doesn't bother him as much as it would have if he were still living in Seoul.  
  
  
  
Chanyeol remembers how reluctant he had been when his manager had first proposed the idea of moving to Monaco. It had been at a time when Chanyeol was twenty – he was young, scared, and needed his family beside him more than ever to help him battle against the constant scrutiny and negative media attention he had been under for simply implying that the gender of his partner, if he had one in the future, would not matter to him as much as it did to others. Surprisingly enough, in the end it had been his father who had convinced him to make the move by pointing out the positive impact such a decision would have on his career and his personal life. Chanyeol had agreed after much deliberation, taking into consideration the fact that a lot of other drivers lived in the principality and knowing that Monaco’s zero-tolerance policy towards paparazzi would help him keep his life private. Of course, after Chanyeol had informed Jongdae of his decision his friend had thrown a huge fit and then promptly decided that he would move to Monaco as well. His reason being a simple “ _I won't have to pay tax, Yeol. Think of all the money I'll save_.”  
  
Deep down, they had both known that it was never about the money.  
  
  
  
“I swear, if my sixteen year old self could see me now, he'd probably cry, then call me a traitor and then hurl himself into the sea,” Jongdae muses with an amused chuckle, forcing Chanyeol’s attention back on him. Jongdae’s dyed blonde hair sticks up at weird angles as a strong gust of wind blows their way. It makes Chanyeol's eyes sting a little as his gaze roves over the vast blue sea that looks absolutely stunning from their vantage point. Chanyeol hums in agreement, fingers toying with the hem of Jongdae’s jacket, and a smile brightens his face as he thinks back to the time when he and Jongdae first met.  
  
  
  
  
  
It had happened a long time ago, when they were both awkward teenagers that were determined to make a name and build a career for themselves in single-seater racing after having worked tirelessly to win various local karting competitions to make it to that point. Chanyeol and Jongdae had been introduced to each other as teammates, both having been signed by _ART Grand Prix_ to race for them for the 2008 season of the _Formula 3 Euro Series_. Chanyeol had liked the other rookie driver well enough despite barely knowing him; their shared nationality and culture helping them bond quicker and stick together in an unfamiliar environment. It only took their first race of the season at the _Hockenheimring_ for that to change. Jongdae had been leading the race with Chanyeol trailing him when he made a mistake at turn 6 and ran his car a little too wide. Chanyeol, seeing an opportunity to take the lead, had tried to overtake him, diving down the inside to squeeze through the gap Jongdae had left. In a frantic effort to thwart Chanyeol’s move and retain his lead, Jongdae had steered his car sharply to the right, pushing Chanyeol off the track and causing him to lose control of his steering. One thing led to another and before Chanyeol could regain his momentum, his car had spun back onto the track and crashed into Jongdae’s, effectively taking them both out of the race.  
  
And that had been the end of that.  
  
After that incident – with both of them pinning the blame for what happened on the other – their  rivalry had begun to grow steadily with each passing day and Chanyeol had felt no small amount of satisfaction when he had been crowned champion after dominating most of the season while Jongdae had finished a disappointing seventh. Chanyeol had gloated and gloated and made sure to never let him live that down. And when he was pushed up to compete in the _FIA Formula 2 Championship_ for the 2009 season, thanks to his outstanding performance and him winning the _F3 Euro Series_ in his rookie season, he had made sure to gloat about that too.  
  
Chanyeol had been disappointed, however, when he had finished his rookie season in the _Formula 2_ series by placing third in the Championship standings because that meant that he would miss out on the chance to test with the _Williams F1_ team; a privilege that was only awarded to the championship winner. He did however qualify for his _FIA Super Licence_ by placing in the top three, making him eligible to compete as a driver in the _Formula 1_ _World Championship_ should any team want to sign him (sadly, none did). Hearing about Jongdae winning the 2009 _F3 Euro Series_  had left him feeling disgruntled; because that meant that they would compete against each other again in 2010 when Jongdae would eventually join the _Formula 2_ series. When that time finally came, things were worse than they were back in 2008 because Jongdae had improved a lot and had ended up giving Chanyeol a run for his money. The season had been a tough one and had ended with Chanyeol winning the Championship and Jongdae placing second, the two of them separated by a meager seven points. And Chanyeol had been extremely agitated when people started comparing the two of them; he wanted to be the best there was, not share the title of ‘ _child prodigy_ ’ and ‘ _future_ Formula 1 _World Champion_ ' with someone else. Especially Jongdae.  
  
The following year, in 2011, Chanyeol and Jongdae made headlines worldwide for becoming two of the youngest drivers ever to sign for _Formula 1_ teams – Chanyeol signing a contract with _McLaren_ and Jongdae with Lotus. When they both made their official _Formula 1_ debut at the _Australian Grand Prix_ that same year, Chanyeol broke the record for being the youngest ever driver to start a race at the age of 18 years and 4 months (Jongdae wasn’t far behind – debuting at 18 years, 6 months and 6 days). He remembers clearly how nervous he had been but also how gung-ho; ready to prove himself to all those who underestimated him because of his age. What he didn’t account for though was the fact that all of the drivers he would be going up against now were either World Champions or had much more experience than he – or Jongdae for that matter – had. It had been a humbling experience, his first race, and Chanyeol will never forget the look on Jongdae’s face when they had crossed paths in the paddock after the celebrations were over, both realizing that they were not just competing against each other anymore but against some of the best in the world. As the season wore on, they somehow learnt to fall back on each other, forming a mutual support system to help with all the times that they felt out of depth; small and scared and lost, like a child pretending to be an adult. Their previous animosity was replaced with a sense of understanding that they were alone among the other drivers, both fresh faced and new and inexperienced in their knowledge of how things worked here at the very top. That was what prompted them to finally bury the hatchet and be done with their childish feud, at least so that they could have someone to call a friend. Chanyeol and Jongdae grew closer, much to everyone’s surprise (or at least those that knew them and were aware of their petty rivalry), and by the end of their first full season (with Chanyeol finishing 4th and Jongdae 7th) as _Formula 1_ drivers, they were practically inseparable (even if they did still bicker and compare their performances after every race). It had been a drastic change from three years ago and they certainly hadn't seen it coming but it had worked for the best; the two of them choosing to learn from each other instead of trying to take the other down.  
  
  
  
  
  
Now, six years later, both of them are teammates racing for _Ferrari_ , one of the most prestigious teams in _Formula 1_ , and they share three World Championship titles among themselves. Chanyeol can hardly believe that they’ve made it this far – together – but he knows that he wouldn’t have been able to achieve as much as he did without Jongdae by his side to keep him sane.  
  
“We were just a couple of stupid kids back then,” he says as he turns to look at his best friend. Jongdae squeezes Chanyeol’s arm and gives him a big smile, eyes disappearing into tiny crescents that make him appear much younger than he really is.  
  
“We’re still stupid,” he points out.  
  
Chanyeol laughs loudly, startling Toben, who ends up barking at him. “We are,” he agrees, “but at least we’re not kids anymore.”  
  
Jongdae hums. He lets go of Chanyeol’s arm to walk over to Toben, crouching down to pet the barking dog, making him wag his little tail wildly.  
  
“Oh hey, speaking of kids,” Jongdae says suddenly, face lighting up, “have you heard about _Force India’s_ new signing?”  
  
Chanyeol scoffs and rolls his eyes.  
  
“I don’t really care about who they sign,” he says honestly. He knows Jongdae will probably accuse him of being conceited but Chanyeol can’t bring himself to care about rookies when he’s going up against championship winning drivers like Davidson, Romero and Jongdae himself. Not to mention _Force India_ , no matter how good their driver is, is no match for Mercedes, _Ferrari_ or _Red Bull_.  
  
Chanyeol has his priorities in order when it comes to racing. Jongdae is the one that lets his emotions get the better of him.  
  
“Maybe you should care about this one ” Jongdae says as he stands up, giving Chanyeol a pointed look. Toben hops around his feet, wanting Jongdae's attention back on him. “He finished his rookie _F2_ season by winning the Championship . He dominated the entire season and ended up winning with a total of 352 points – 96 points ahead of the kid who came in second!”  
  
“Big deal,” Chanyeol shrugs, smirking at Jongdae's indignant spluttering as they start walking again. Jongdae nearly trips over Toben’s leash and Chanyeol has to grip his arm to steady him. “You and I both know that _F2_ and _F1_ are not the same thing.”  
  
“Of course not,” Jongdae agrees, “but this kid’s got everyone and anyone singing his praises so he must be doing something right.” Then, with a sly smile, he adds, “People are even comparing him to you, saying stuff like how he could possibly be  better than you were and end up breaking your record, you know, of being the youngest _Formula 1_ World Champion.”  
  
Chanyeol rolls his eyes, choosing to remain silent.  
  
“Of course, that shouldn't bother you,” Jongdae says sarcastically as he looks up at Chanyeol. “I mean, it's not like you care about stuff like that.”  
  
“‘Course not,” Chanyeol agrees, tugging on Toben’s leash and pulling him away from the stone he was trying to eat. “Records are meant to be broken after all.”  
  
It's true, that he isn't too bothered by the fact that some kid is going to break the records he set (it's bound to happen sooner or later, that's the way things work), because all that Chanyeol cares about now is winning more world titles than he already has. He wants to be the best of the best – wants his name to go down in history – and the only way he can achieve that is if he looks towards the future instead of dwelling on the past.  
  
(The only thing larger than Chanyeol himself though is his damn ego, so maybe it does bother him a little but it’s not like he's ever going to tell Jongdae that.)  
  
"How young is he, by the way?” he asks, feigning nonchalance.  
  
“Nineteen, I think,” Jongdae purses his lips. “But it’s not like that matters. We were younger than him when we debuted.”  
  
“ _Damn_!” Chanyeol exclaims, chuckling dryly. He knows what this is now, knows exactly what _Force India_ is up to. “First Sunny noona and now this kid? How long are they gonna keep pulling moves like this to just to divert the media's attention away from the fact that the owner’s a fucking fraud?”  
  
“Chanyeol,” Jongdae glares at him, a warning in his voice. “You better leave noona out of this.”  
  
“Sorry, Dae,” Chanyeol apologizes, offering Jongdae a sheepish smile. He hadn't meant to offend Jongdae at all and he most certainly didn't mean to insult Sunny noona in any way; Chanyeol's pretty much been in love with her ever since she kicked her shitty teammate Anderson in the balls for calling her a little girl. “You know I love noona as much as you do but let’s be real here, no other team would risk signing a female driver to race for them, no matter how good. Sunny noona’s signing was nothing more than a ploy to attract sponsors and to get people talking positively about the team again, no one expected her to actually be any good.”  
  
Chanyeol is ashamed to admit that he was one of those assholes as well.  
  
  
  
Back in 2016 they had all been shocked to learn that one of the _Force India_ drivers had been sacked and the team was replacing him with a woman; an American _NASCAR Xfinity Series_ driver. Chanyeol, like the others, had been skeptical because a woman being given the opportunity to compete in a predominantly male sport was still a matter of concern (not to mention a blow to the pride of all those jackasses with too much testosterone), and a rare occurrence – the last female driver having tried to compete back in 1992. There were also the added concerns of safety issues; driving _Formula 1_ cars were no freaking joke after all and many doubted that a woman would be strong enough – physically and mentally – to handle the strain. Within the first half of the season though, Sunny noona – small, lithe and absolutely badass – proved to everyone that she wasn't to be taken lightly; she out qualified and outperformed her teammate almost every race weekend, shocking all those who were watching her progress like a flock of vultures, waiting for an opportunity to tear her down for even the slightest mistake. She hadn't given them a chance and no one dared mess with her after that incident with Anderson.  
  
  
  
“Look at her now though,” Chanyeol smiles fondly. “She’s sticking it to all those haters by retaining her seat for the third consecutive season.”  
  
Jongdae smiles, looking equally fond, “Noona really is something else entirely. She's incredible.”  
  
Chanyeol definitely agrees. “She’s so much better than most of the guys on the grid and yet people still doubt her capabilities. Why? All because of her gender. It really sucks but it’s just the way things are, Dae. _Formula 1_ nowadays is more about all the dirty politics and money than it is about racing.”  
  
Chanyeol sighs heavily, knowing that no matter how fucked up, the world won't just change overnight. “They probably signed this kid for the same reason they signed noona,” he muses, “just to attract sponsors and garner positive media attention. In the end they’re just gonna use his inexperience and enthusiasm against him.”  
  
“Then we'll take care of him,” Jongdae declares, bouncing on his feet and giving Chanyeol a toothy grin as he places a hand on his chest. “He's going to be our hoobae after all.”  
  
“What?” Chanyeol laughs incredulously. “You can't be serious, Dae. We can't just waste our time babysitting other drivers. Especially not rookies.”  
  
“What's your damage, Chanyeol?” Jongdae gives him a baleful look and Chanyeol laughs harder. Jongdae reaches up to flick him on his ear, pulling lightly on it when Chanyeol makes a quip about his height. Chanyeol sticks his tongue out at him.  
  
“And he isn't just anyone, okay?” Jongdae defends. “He's from back home. If we don't look out for him then who will? The poor kid’s gonna need the support of his sunbaes.”  
  
Chanyeol rolls his eyes. He's secretly happy that there's going to be another Asian driver on the grid this year – even more so because this kid is from Korea, from “ _back home_ ” as Jongdae said – but that doesn't mean he agrees with being a babysitter for a rookie.  
  
“We don't even know him,” he points out, blinking rapidly when a gust of wind blows dirt into his eyes. Jongdae laughs at him and says it karma because he's being an asshole. Chanyeol pouts; he doesn't think he's being an asshole, he thinks he's just being reasonable. They can't afford any distractions after all.  
  
“Then we’ll get to know him,” Jongdae beams, “and besides, he's cute, I've seen his pictures. He's like a tiny, squishy, marshmallow and he's got these round cheeks and cute, big eyes. And I've also watched videos and let me tell you that he's a good driver. Better than good, he’s mind-blowing. Talented as hell.”  
  
“You sound like you have a crush,” Chanyeol teases, amusement clear on his features. Jongdae just laughs and shakes his head.  
  
“Nah man, you know I just like keeping myself updated and stuff. Also, he's like, way too young and I'd rather not go to jail,” Jongdae shudders a little and Chanyeol scoffs even if he does agree. “Besides,” Jongdae adds with a teasing smirk as he wags his eyebrows, “he's a huge fan of yours, says your his idol or whatever.”  
  
Chanyeol doesn't respond to that verbally but he does feel a little proud knowing that he's inspiring youngsters out there to follow their dreams.  
  
“What's his name?” Chanyeol asks, sighing exaggeratedly as he lets Jongdae latch onto his side once again.  
  
  
  
“Doh Kyungsoo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was more of a filler chapter lol. The others, Soo included, will be introduced in the next chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/BloodRed_Ander) | [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.me/Bloodred_Ander).
> 
> I can't and won't promise regular updates 'cause I'm working on a bunch of other fest related fics but you could always dm/cc me in case you have questions (or just feel like saying hello).
> 
> :)


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